Question : LATE RUNNING OF TRAINS

(a) whether it is a fact that despite of clear weather some trains are running late on regular basis particularly on New Delhi-Howrah railway line and if so, the details of the trains including mail/express, zone-wise along with the reasons therefor;

(b) whether it is a fact that Train Nos. 12402 and 12428 are running late from Allahabad Junction on regular basis and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Centre for Railway Information System propose to improve and upgrade its technology for providing correct information to the passengers on running of train timings and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether there is any proposal to pay compensation to the passengers in case of the trains running late more than certain hours and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) Yes, Madam. There are 17 pairs (34 trains) Mail/Express trains that run between Delhi-Howrah. Most of these trains, particularly those traversing through Mughalsarai -Allahabad-Ghaziabad sector, have not been able to maintain satisfactory level of punctuality performance as this sector is facing severe capacity constraints due to saturated line capacity. This route is also intensely being used for carrying freight traffic including raw materials, coal, Petroleum products, food grains, fertilizer, steel, export oriented container traffic from mainland to ports and back etc. Other than capacity constraints, the factors responsible for poor punctuality performance of trains on Delhi-Howrah route are beyond Railway’s control like adverse weather conditions (fog during winter season), multi faceted law and order problems including public agitation and bandh calls in left wing extremist areas of East Central Railway, electricity grid failures, miscreant activities (disruption or theft of railway assets), heavy road traffic at level crossing gates, mid section run over cases involving cattle and human etc. In addition to the above, asset failures, maintenance blocks and blocks for execution of capacity enhancement works etc. have also contributed towards loss of punctuality of trains on this sector.

(b) Running of Train no. 12402 New Delhi-Islampur Magadh Express and 12428 Anand Vihar-Rewa Express have also been adversely affected due to severe capacity constraints on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Allahabad-Cheoki sector where the line capacity utilization is more that 115%. This constraint gets further accentuated due to a large number of planned capacity enhancement infrastructural works on this sector. These two trains remained bad runners during the month of March 2015 with poor punctuality. The main reasons for poor punctuality were capacity constraints (traffic and path), asset failures (OHE, electric loco and S&T) and law and order problems, miscreant activities etc. All efforts are being made to run these trains punctually.

(c) Improved version of Train Enquiry Website and mobile Apps on Windows and Android platforms have been launched for user friendly and faster dissemination of train running information to travelling public.

(d) There is no provision for compensation in case of late running of trains. However, as per refund rule, for non commencement or missing of journey due to late running of trains, the following is permissible-

(1) No cancellation charges or clerkage is levied and full fare is refunded to all passengers holding reserved, RAC, waitlisted tickets, if the journey is not undertaken due to late running of train by more than 3 hours of the scheduled departure of the train from the station commencing the journey subject to condition that-

(i) The ticket is surrendered upto the actual departure of the train.

(ii) In case of e-tickets the TDR is filed online before the actual departure of the train for availing full refund.